See Who I Am
by RavenWingsFly
Summary: After seeing his family brutally murdered in front of his eyes by the Condesce's army, Karkat retreats into the human kingdom, where he meets four very strange human kids. Soon Karkat finds out that they (like himself) were born with a title and strange powers, and unless they keep them hidden, they will be taken away to work as the Condesce's soldiers to take over the kingdoms.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note- This is a fantasy AU where the trolls and humans live in the same world, but in two separate kingdoms. The Condescension rules the troll kingdom and is planning to take over the human kingdom as well.**

* * *

Cursing as he stumbled in the dark over roots and tore his clothes on sharp branches, a figure ran through the forest. Karkat Vantas was running for his life, his father and older brother's screams echoing in his ears and pounding deep in his heart. He stopped to take a breath, looking behind him at the orange glow in the trees, where their camp had been set up only moments before. Hearing the shouts of triumphant victory from the attackers, reminding him that he should keep running.

The troll sped through the forest, praying that the attackers wouldn't follow as he zig zagged through the trees. It seemed like he had ran forever, until he began to see lights up ahead.

"Oh, thank gog." Karkat muttered to himself as he quickened the pace. The ground under him suddenly gave away, and he began to fall, tumbling head over heels down a steep hillside before hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

Karkat groaned and struggled to sit up, nearly shouting as a sharp pain went across his shoulder. Collapsing, he laid in the sand, waves lapping at his feet and chilling him to the bone. The troll tried desperately to stay conscious, focusing on the pain as he slowly began to crawl away from the water.

His eyes beginning to cloud over into black, Karkat rested his head against the sand, breathing heavily. Distantly, he heard shouts and then soft, soothing voices. One older and stern, the other younger and worried, both male. He felt strong arms pick him up and caught a glance of a pair of bright, wildly blue eyes.

"...fell of the cliff...he alright?"

"...nasty cut on shoulder...take him home quickly."

The voices floated in and out of Karkat's head. He felt himself being laid onto a warm bed, on the brink of unconsciousness. He felt a hand ghost over his shoulder, then sharp needle like pains digging into his skin. The troll flinched, not having enough strength to do anything else.

"...down...over now." He felt the hand pat his shoulder.

"...he okay?...doing here?"

Karkat struggled to keep focus on the conversation, but exhaustion took over him and he finally fainted.

* * *

When Karkat awoke, the sun was high in the sky. He groaned as he slowly sat up, coming face to face with a pair of large square glasses.

"Well it's about time you woke up!"

Karkat screeched in surprise, falling back. One leg shot up and made contact with the others chin, sending him sprawling to the ground. The troll winced and clutched his shoulder under his shirt sleeve, running a finger over the stitches that bound his wound together.

"Geez, chill!" A human boy, black hair ruffled and glasses dangling dangerously off the edge of his nose jumped up from the floor, unharmed other than a darkening bruise on his jaw line. "You've been sleeping for three days!"

Karkat stared at him in surprise, crimson eyes growing wide with confusion. "...y-you little shit!" He snapped, not having anything else to say.

The human's face fell for a second, but was soon replaced with a cocky grin. "Well aren't we the charmer." He said, beginning to sit at the foot of the bed, but quickly standing back up when Karkat glared at him. "I'd treat someone who pretty much saved my life with a bit more respect."

"Oh shut up." This wasn't improving the troll's mood in the slightest. Who did this guy think he was? The king of the world?

"You fell off of a cliff." The human went on. "You fell off a cliff. I'm surprised you only got a cut!"

"Only a cut?!" Karkat echoed in disbelief, voice rising. He sat up straight. "I have fucking stitches! That's what you call only a cut?!" To his satisfaction the human winced.

"Sorry...just trying to cheer you up." He stared at Karkat for a second and held out his hand. "I'm John Ebert!"

Karkat ignored his hand. "Karkat Leave-me-the-hell-alone Vantas."

John awkwardly let his hand drop to his side as an older human walked in. Looking quite a bit like John, minus the glasses, an unlit pipe dangling from the side of his mouth. "Now, how are you feeling, son?"

It took Karkat a moment to realize this man was talking to him. "I'm not your son, asshole." He scowled.

The man promptly cuffed the back of Karkat's head, sending him sprawling forward, face planting on the bed. "That's to you. And watch your tongue." He said sternly.

Karkat rubbed the back of his head, standing up. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"Attitude." Mr. Egbert raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything else on the subject. "Listen here. Tomorrow you'll get your stitches removed. You can either leave first thing after, or stay and work for me until you figure out what to do. I have a garden that needs tending to. John will show you around today." And so he left.

As if on cue, John was pulling a very surprised Karkat to his feet. The troll scowled and slapped him away. 'I can do it myself!"

He could feel John's curious stare as he stumbled to his feet. "Oh...okay!" John just smiled at him happily. Did nothing faze him?

"So how old are you?" He asked as he lead Karkat through the house and into a large kitchen.

"Seven and a half sweeps." Karkat answered automatically, looking around at the room and noting the monstrous oven and the dough all over the counter. "Your father's a baker?"

"Yup. He is." John nodded, also casting a glance around the room. "Seven and a half sweeps? That's..." He calculated in his head. "Sixteenish. Me too!"

Karkat held back a groan. Hopefully John wouldn't find anymore similarities between them and take them as a chance to bond. "Sure, I guess."

Well come this way!" John opened the door and walked out into the warm sunshine. 'I"ll show you all of the neat places in the village. It's a bit small, so you have to look harder to find them."

Ignoring John, Karkat allowed himself to be lead all around the village, only speaking when necessary. His mind went back a few days and played a certain memory over and over; of what happened that foggy night.

"And here is the sea!" John's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. His arm shot out, preventing Karkat to fall off of the same cliff he had tumbled down previously. 'Isn't it amazing?"

Karkat took a breath of the clear, salty air. He stared out onto the water, then looked down at the steep cliff, leading to the beach below. It was around seven feet, but grew taller as you walked along the cliff edge. "Yeah, I guess."

John turned to look at him. "Hey, are you okay?"

"It's none of your business." Karkat snapped. "Who do you think you are, my fucking psychiatrist?"

"Sorry...you just look down...is something wrong?" The concerned tone in John's voice was annoying him to death.

"If you really must now, I'm fucking fine." The troll said dryly. "Yup! I just saw my whole fucking family murdered in front of my fucking eyes! And I'm completely fine!" His anger rose suddenly, fists clenched at his side.

John's face fell. "Oh my god...I'm so sorry." He reached out to put a hand on Karkat's shoulder, but it was slapped away.

"It's none of your concern, shitsponge." Karkat said quickly, turning on his heel and walking back towards the village.

After a pause, John ran after him. "Wait! Let me introduce you to my friends!"

Karkat stopped, not looking at him. "Are they anything like you?"

"No...not really."

Karkat sighed. "Then there's some hope left in this pathetic dung pile of a race. Lead the way, o'buck toothed one."

* * *

**Author's Note**

_It's been a few months since I finished Heart of Courage, and I'm still giggling and excited over how many good reviews it has. Why not kick off the (late) new year with a new fic?! I've been wanting to do one for awhile, but I didn't have any plot ideas to go on. And (after asking pretty much everyone in my house for ideas (My favorite was my mom's idea of John using his windy powers to make souffles and over taking betty crocker. sadly that shall not be used in this story)) I have finally whipped something together._

_So enjoy! Thanks for reading the first chapter. Please favorite, review and share!_

_~Raven_


	2. Chapter 2

Finally Karkat had found something that bothered the kid. John's face fell and he didn't speak until they reached a cottage on the edge of the village.

"This is my friend Dave's house." He said, beginning to cheer up. Knocking on the door, John suddenly dropped to the ground, hands over his head.

Karkat stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell are you-" There was a whirring sound of machines and then a sickening click. He glanced at John then fell to his knees, a sword flying out of seemingly nowhere and burying itself into the ground directly behind him, inches away from his feet.

"If you weren't such a shortie, then it would've killed you." Drawled a voice.

With a scowl, Karkat stood up and glared at the blonde-and significantly taller than the both of them- teen. "If you weren't an asshole, then I probably wouldn't be thinking of killing you."

"Dave!" John quickly stepped between them two, sensing the tension. "Dave, this is Karkat. He's staying with me until he heals. Karkat, this is Dave, one of my good friends."

Dave picked up the sword from the ground and swung it over his shoulder with a smirk. "Sorry, but Striders can't help but be honest. It's a family trait."

"Says the guy who won't even take off his goddamn sunglasses to say a proper hello." Karkat retorted.

There was a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

Dave shook his head and chuckled. "That's because my eyes are sensitive to the light. Check your facts before you attack, shortie."

Karkat growled under his breath. The dislike between them two was mutual. John stood between them uncomfortably.

"Well then!" He said with a nervous laugh, taking Karkat's arm and dragging him away. "Lots of people to see and so little time. See you later, Dave!"

John made sure Dave went back inside his house before asking Karkat "So what do you think?"

"He's an ass." Karkat said shortly. "So far all three humans I've met are."

"You've never met a human? Well, you're the first troll I've met." John politely ignored the insult. "Not many trolls from your kingdom come up here. What's it called...Alternia?"

"Well that's because we fucking can't. Have you ever been to the border?"

John looked around and pointed at the forest running along the edge of the cliff, bordering the ocean. "It's somewhere over there. Maybe a days walk?"

With a roll of his eyes Karkat nodded. "Yeah, it's heavily guarded. Soldiers everywhere. No one goes in, no one goes out."

"That's a bit harsh..."

"Yeah, you better fucking bet it is. Try and defy their laws or the hemospectrum and escape-" Karkat traced a line across his neck. "Krrrtch! Dead."

John flinched. "Is that why your family died?" He asked, remembering what Karkat had told him earlier.

The troll's face grew grim and he stared at his feet. "Yeah. We're mutant bloods..." He nearly smacked himself. Why did he let it slip? "Anyways, be happy that the Condescension hasn't come here."

"The troll empress?" John rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh...well...her army makes rounds here."

"What?! Why?"

"I don't know exactly." The bespeckled teen shrugged, beginning to get nervous.. "I heard the people in town talking about something called...um... 'god tiers', whatever they are."

Karkat stared at him. "God tiers? What the heck are those?"

"Apparently every thousand generation there's twelve trolls that are born with legendary powers. They're given a title of some sort. Like 'bard of space' or something. Apparently the Empress uses them for soldiers."

Karkat swallowed nervously. "Like...knight of blood?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. Why are they looking for them here?"

"Just some rumors..." John's voice grew quiet. "Of human god tiers. But that's just a legend!" He added quickly. "It's not true."

"Yeah, of course not." Karkat agreed.

There was a pause of silence before John started walking again. "Come on. My other two friends aren't as bad as Dave."

"You only have three friends?" The troll raised an eyebrow. "You need to get out more."

"Well, four now that I've met you." Replied John. 'We're friends, aren't we? That's four."

"No." Karkat said shortly. Seeing John's crestfallen face he sighed. "Fine. Okay. Whatever the fuck makes you happy."

"Alright! Next up is my good friend Rose Lalonde. She's like my big sister." John lead him to an old, ivy covered cobblestone house.

"Is this house boobytrapped as well?" Asked Karkat warily as he watched John knock on the round door.

The raven haired teen snorted. "Luckily, no. Dave just has too much time on his hands."

From inside the house there was a loud crash and lots of muffled cursing. A girl with short blonde hair held back by a black headband opened the door, quickly blocking the opening and Karkat's view of the interior of the house. She gave a small sigh of relief when she saw John. "All clear!" She called towards the back room and turned back to the two. "Hello John. Who's this?"

"This is Karkat." John said, stepping forward to give her a hug. "We found him yesterday, and he's staying with us until he heals. He fell off the cliff."

"Well, he's lucky to be alive." She held out a hand, which Karkat reluctantly shook. "I'm Rose Lalonde."

There was another crash from the back of the house. Rose flinched as another girl of the same age with large round glasses ran into the room, a large white, wolf-like hound at her side. "I'm so sorry! Bec killed a crow and put it in the pot! I think I got all of it out." She said, just noticing John and Karkat in the doorway. "Oh, a newcomer! Hey there!" She gave a glance at Rose-who hurriedly ran to the back room- and rushed over to Karkat, hurriedly shaking his hand. "Hi! I'm Jade! Jade Harley. I've never met a troll before!"

"Karkat." The troll massaged his hand. Jade had a pretty strong grip. The dog-Bec, apparently- stepped forward in front of Jade protectively. He growled, ears pressed flat against his head. Karkat took a cautious step backwards.

"Bec!" Jade sighed and knelt next to the dog, stroking between his ears. "Don't be so rude! We've just met him."

"Yeah...down doggie." Karkat said nervously. "Don't fill in for her parents."

"Oh, but he is my parent! He raised me!" Jade said happily.

Karkat gave John a confused look. John nodded and shrugged. "Alright then...so what are you making back there?" The troll asked.

Jade exchanged a cautious glance at John before speaking. "Um...bread."

"Bread." Karkat echoed.

"Yes!" She squeaked. "Bread!

"In a pot."

"Well, its a special type of recipe..." She muttered nervously.

"Nice..."

John glanced at the sky outside. "Oh, look at the time! Its sunset, so we should go. Nice seeing you Jade! Say bye to Rose for me."

"Oh! Yes, nice meeting you Karkat." She held the door open for them both.

"Sure..." Karkat shot a glare at the growling Bec before quickly following John outside. "So what's going on?"

"What? Nothing!" John said quickly, walking faster.

Karkat rolled his eyes. If it wasn't his business, then he wouldn't poke his nose in the matter. "Fine."

They walked back to the bakery, going through the kitchen to get to the back rooms. Karkat took a deep breath as they passed the large ovens. "Holy shit it smells amazing in here."

"One of the pros to being a baker's son." John smiled. "So tomorrow we'll move your stitches. Are you going to stay a while after?"

"It's not like I have anywhere to go." Karkat muttered, sitting on his bed and kicking off his shoes.

John clasped his hands together happily. "Great! I'll see you in the morning then!"

"Yeah, yeah. Good night." Karkat slid under the blankets.

"I'll show you around a bit more!"

"Sure."

"And maybe give you some of my dad's bread for breakfast. It's the bomb."

"Whoopity-doo."

"And then we'll meet with the others and-"

"Oh my gog! Shut the fuck up and go to bed!" Karkat sat up with a glare.

John blinked. "oh...okay. Good night."

The troll sighed and laid back down as John left the room. "Good night."

John poked his head back in. "You know I was thinking-"

Karkat held back a groan. This was going to be a long night.


End file.
